Machine for tamping railway ballast



Dec; 14, 1954 F. H. PHILBRICK MACHINE FOR TAMPING RAILWAY BALLAST Filed March 24 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l F. H. PHILBRICK MACHINE FOR TAMPING RAILWAY BALLAST Ded. 14, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, .1950

\ llllll Dec. 14, 1954 F, H. PHILBRICK 2,696,792

MACHINE FOR TAMPING RAILWAY BALLAST Filed March 24, 1950 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 3 1366- 1954 F. H. PHILBRICK MACHINE FOR TAMPING RAILWAY BALLAST 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 24, 1950 United States Patent MACHINE FOR TAMPING RAILWAY BALLAST Frank H. Phil brick, Evanston, Ill.

Application March 24, 1950, Serial No. 151,660

16 Claims. (Cl. 104-12) The invention relates to machines for tamping railway ballast.

Machines for tamping or moving ballast between and under the ties of a railway track are usually mounted on a truck or car provided with wheels adapted to travel along the track with one pair of wheels in advance of said mechanism and another pair of wheels positioned to travel behind said mechanism. During the tamping operation the front Wheels of the truck are disposed above the rails and ties where the ballast has not been tamped. The tamping, particularly when performed by tampers on a drop-head, produces vibrations in the front end of the machine which is supported by the portion of the railroad track which is not firmly supported by ballast which has been tamped.

One object of the invention is to equip the machine with auxiliary means for supporting it intermediate the front and rear wheels to minimize said vibrations in the front end of the truck.

Another object of the invention is to provide auxiliary supporting struts for this purpose which are efficient in operation and may be readily controlled to render them operative during the tamping, and inoperative when the truck is being transported along the track.

Another object of the invention is to provide braking means adapted to engage the rails of the track for retaining the truck in its assigned position while the struts or auxiliary supporting devices are in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide auxiliary supporting devices for said purpose which are simple in construction and efficient in operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter described and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a ballast tamping machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the lower end of one of the struts and the brake thereon;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a section illustrating the strut in its operative position;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5, illustrating one of the supporting struts in its raised or inoperative position, parts being omitted.

The invention is exemplified in a tamping machine which is mounted on a truck or car which comprises a suitable frame which includes longitudinal side beams 20, end beams 21, intermediate cross-beams 22 and side plates 23, all rigidly secured together to form a supporting structure. The truck frame is supported on a pair of front wheels 25 on an axle 26 which is journalled in bearings 27 on the truck frame and a pair of rear wheels 29 on an axle 30 which is supported in bearings 31 secured to the said frame. The truck is adapted to travel on rails a of a railway track for movement along the track to successively position the tampers for operation between the ties. The truck is usually equipped with a power plant with an internal combustion engine and suitable gearing, which is usually disposed on the rear portion of the truck frame, for propelling the truck along the track and for operating the tamping devices,

as. well understood in the art.

5 hammer strokes to the tampers.

"ice

The machine includes a series of tampers for packing ballast at opposite sides of a tie under the rails. These tampers are carried by a drop-head, generally designated 35, to which lifting strokes are imparted for imparting Head 35 is mounted to slide vertically in guides 36 which are fixedly supported on the side-plates 23 of the truck frame. A gang of tampers is carried at each side of the drop-head 35. Each tamper comprises a head 40 and a series of teeth 41 for engaging the ballast and packing it between and under the tie. Each head 40 is pivotally connecetd to the drop-head 35 by a shaft 44 which is supported in bearings 48 for pivotal movement of the tampers longitudinally of the railway track. The tampers in the gang at one side of the head 35 are disposed in opposed relation to those at the other side of said head for drop strokes at the opposite sides of a railway tie b. Each shaft 44 functions as a fulcrum for a tamper and con nects the tamper to the head 35 for bodily strokes therewith and for pivotal movement on the axis of said shaft. The angular movements of the tampers of the gangs move the teeth on the opposed tampers toward and from each other for packing the ballast between and under the tie during successive drop strokes of head 35. Each tamper head 40 is provided with an integral arm 47 for controlling the pivotal movement of the tampers relatively to the drop-head 35. The arms 47 of each pair of tampers at one side of the longitudinal center of the track are connected by a shaft 48' so that each shaft 48 is adapted to pivotally shift a pair of tampers, one of which operates on ballast inwardly of the rails and the other on ballast on the outer side of the rails.

The drop-head 35 is liftable by power derived from the motor on the truck frame through mechanism which lifts said drop-head and then releases it for a drop hammer stroke. This mechanism comprises a transverse shaft 50 which is selectively driven from the motor by any suitable gearing (not shown) and journalled in brackets 51 on cross-beams 52 of the truck frame; a pair of sprocket wheels 54 which are fixed to shaft 50; a pair of idler sprockets 55, and sprocket chains 56 between vertically aligned sprockets 54 and 55. Intermittent lifting strokes are imparted to the drop-head 35 by rollers 58 which are carried by chains 56 and are adapted to intermittently engage abutment plates 60 on drop-head 35. Each idler sprocket 55 is journalled on a lever 62 which is fulcrumed at 63 on the truck frame and is urged by a spring 64 to retain an idler sprocket for retaining a chain 56 taut. The transversely aligned rollers 58 during their upward travel will intermittently engage abutments 60 and lift drop-head 35 until said rollers pass off said abutment at the end of an upstroke and then release the head 35 for a hammer stroke to the tamping elements carried thereby.

The mechanism for shifting shafts 48 for controlling the pivotal movement of the tampers comprises a track structure and coacting devices of the type exemplified in Patent No. 2,482,123. Rollers 68 at the transverse center of drop-head 35 are mounted on shafts 69 at the opposite sides of said head 35 and links 70 operatively connect the ends of roller shafts 69 and the shafts 48 of the gangs of tampers, respectively. Links 72 are pivotally connected to each roller shaft 69 and to pins 73 mounted in lugs 74 which are fixed to the sides of the drop-head 35, respectively, for imparting vertical movement to shafts 69 and rollers 68.

The track structure is stationarily supported on the track frame in any suitable manner and includes an inner rail 76 and an outer rail 77 for each roller 68 and lower cam or offset portions 78 and 79 for shifting links 70 to control the pivotal movement of the tampers. During each lifting and drop stroke of the drop-head 35 the tampers will move rectilinearly during the upper portions of their stroke and angularly during the lower portions of said strokes to swing the tampers to pack the ballast between and under a tie.

The impact of the tampers against the ballast resulting from the drop hammer strokes imparted to the drop-head 35 produces vibrations which are transmitted to the truck frame and operating parts. During the tamping operations the front wheels 25 of the truck are usually positioned over the track rails a where the ballast has not been tamped and the rails and ties are not firmly supported so that the front end of the truck will be responsive to said vibrations. To more firmly support the truck and minimize said vibrations, the invention provides struts as auxiliary supports intermediate the front and rear truck wheels for transferring the load on the front end of the truck to a point adjacent the portions of the rails and the ties which are adequately supported on the tamped ballast. These auxiliary supports comprise struts and rollers 82 on the lower ends of the struts, which are vertically movable to engage the track rails a, respectively, and are adapted to firmly support the truck frame during the tamping operation and are liftable to permit the truck wheels to travel along the track. These rollers are located where, when in their track engaging and lowered positions they will transfer the load from the front truck wheels to the rails (1 adjacent the tamped portion of the track. Each roller 32 is mounted on a shaft 83 which is supported in the lower end of a strut. Each strut includes a lower tubular link member 85 provided with a fork 86 at its lower end which straddles a wheel 82 and carries its shaft 83; an upper link member 88 which is pivotally connected by a pin 89 to the upper end of link member 85 and by a pin 90 to a lug 91 which is fixedly secured on beam 52 of the truck frame. Arms 93 are pivotally connected to the roller shafts 83 and to pivot pins 94 which are mounted in lugs 95 which are secured to the truck frame for controlling the movement of the roller longitudinally of the track. Each connected pair of upper and lower link members constitute a toggle linkage between a roller 82 and one side of the truck frame. The rollers 82 are adapted to be lowered into engagement with the track rails a by the movement of the connecting pin 89 between link-members 85 and 88, into position to force the strut links 88 and 85 substantially into deadcenter relation between the axes of roller shafts 83 and pins 90, which are connected to the truck frame, and to lift said rollers off the rails a when pin 89 is reversely shifted into the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

Pneumatic devices are provided for shifting the linkages to render the struts operative and inoperative. A pair of cylinders 93 are fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the truck frame and a piston 99 on a stern 100 is mounted in each of the said cylinders. The outer end of each piston stem 100 is pivotally connected at 101 and a cross-beam 102 connects the lugs 103 in which the pins 101 are connected. Arms 1116 are fixedly secured to beam 1412 and pivotally connected to the pivot pins 89 between the toggle links. Each cylinder 98 is provided with pipe connections 1M and 105 for delivering compressed air from a suitable supply, such as a reservoir on the truck, into either of its ends, for the two-way operation of its piston 99. Assuming the strut linkage to be in its inoperative position shown in Fig. 6, rollers 82 will be lifted off the track rails, and pistons 99 will be disposed inwardly. When air is admitted to the outer ends of cylinders 98 pistons 99 will operate stems 109 to shift beam N2 and arms 106 to operate the pivot pins 89 into substantially dead-center position, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The members of the toggle linkage will then be aligned and will function as rigid struts between the truck frame and rollers 82 on the track rails. The load of the front end of the truck will then be transferred to the points on the track rails engaged by rollers 82 which are in close proximity to the portions of the rails which overlie the tamped portion of the track so that the machine will be supported with minimized vibration resulting from the tamping operations because struts will support the front portion of the truck and the rear wheels will be supported on tamped portion of the track, so that the vibrations in the track rails beneath the front truck wheels will be reduced.

During the drop strokes of head 35, the tampers act percussively on the ballast and rollers 68 are impacted against the curved portions of the track-structure for controlling the pivotal movements of the tampers. These impacts are severe particularly while the tampers are operating near or under the bottom level of the ties. The stresses and vibrations from these impacts if transmitted through the front portion of the frame of the machine and the front wheels 25 to the portions of the rails on the ties adjacent the cribs without tamped ballast, may

.displace or loosen the rails at the front of the machine.

In order to minimize the stresses and vibrations transmitted to the portions of the rails over the untamped cribs and ties under the frame in advance of the tampers, the struts are designed to firmly support the frame as closely as possible to cross-head and tampers immediately in advance of the tamped cribs under the rear of the frame. In this manner, the struts while operative relieve the portions of the rails at the front end of the machine of stresses and vibrations, or minimize the transmission of vibrations produced by the tamping operation, to said portions of the rails.

If desired, the rollers 82 may be retained in their lowered operative position while the truck is being advanced to bring the tampers into position for successively tamping the ties. When the machine is to be transported along the track from its place of storage to the place where the work is to be performed, air will be admitted to the outer end of cylinders 98 to cause pistons 99 to shift beam 102, links 166 and the toggle linkage into the position illustrated in Fig. 6, so that the rollers 82 will clear the rails.

During the tamping operations it is desirable to retain the truck against longitudinal movement along the rails and for this purpose braking devices are provided which are carried by the struts and engage the track rails adjacent the rollers 82. Each of these devices comprises a brake shoe 110 which is bifurcated and pivotally supported on a roller shaft 83 and a pneumatically operable device for shifting the shoe. An air cylinder 112 is fixedly secured to the link-member 85 and is provided with a slidable piston 113 on a stem 114. The outer end of the stem 114 is pivotally connected at 115 to operate a toggle linkage which comprises a link 116 with a forked lower end 117 which is pivoted at 118 to lugs 119 on the brake shoe 110, and a link 121 between pivot 115 and a lug 122 fixed on link 85. When air is admitted to the outer end of cylinder 112 piston 113 will operate links 121 and 116 to press the brake shoe 110 against the top face of the head of the rails a. When air is exhausted from the cylinder the pressure of the shoe 110 will be released. A pipe 124 is connected to cylinder 102 and to a suitably controlled source of compressed air.

When rollers 82 are lowered and engaging the track rails a as illustrated in Fig. 1, the operator will cause air to be delivered into cylinders 112 to operate pistons 113, and through toggle links 121 and 116 to exert a pressure on the brake shoes 11% for retaining the truck against movement along the track. To permit the truck to be moved after one tie has been tamped into position for tamping the succeeding tie air will be exhausted from cylinders 112 to permit the brake shoes 110 to slidealong the track rails. When the machine is to be transported to or from the place of work, the brake shoes 110 will be lifted by the struts to clear the track rails.

The invention exemplifies a tamping machine provided with struts composed of toggle-linkages for auxiliarly supporting the machine between the truck wheels and adjacent the portion of the track-where the ballast has been tamped during the tamping operation. The invention also exemplifies simple and effieient braking devices for the truck which are associated with the auxiliary supporting devices for retaining the machine in its spotted position during the tamping operations.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the'appended claims without departing-from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails-ofa railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers movable vertically with and pivotally'on the head; means on the frame for controllingthe movement of the tampers relatively to the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending betweenthe frame and the trackrails, for supporting the frontportion of .the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the percussive operation ofthe tampers; and means for shiftingtheauxiliary supports off therails for supporting-the 'frameentirely by thefront and rear wheels.

2. A machine of the character described comprising:

' carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers movable vertically with and pivotally on the head; means on the frame for controlling the movement of the tampers relatively to the head; struts adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the frame and the track-rails, for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the percussive operation of the tampers; and

means for operating the struts to disengage them from i the rails for supporting the frame entirely by the front and rear wheels.

3. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers movable vertically with and pivotally on the head; means on the frame for controlling the movement of the tampers relatively to the head; struts including toggle linkages adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the upper portions of the frame and the track-rails, for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the percussive operation of the tampers; and means for raising the struts and supporting the frame entirely by the front and rear wheels.

4. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers movable vertically with and pivotally on the head; means on the frame for controlling the movement of the tampers relatively to the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the frame and the trackrails, and including pairs of toggle links, one of each pair being pivoted to the upper portion of the frame, and arms between the lower end of the other toggle link and the frame, and a roller at the lower end of said other link for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the percussive operation of the tampers; and pneumatic means for operating the toggle links to render them inoperative and supporting the frame entirely by the front and rear wheels.

5. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers movable vertically with and pivotally on the head; means on the frame for controlling the movement ofthe tampers relatively to the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drop-head, including toggle linkages rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the upper part of the frame and the track-rails, and links between the lower ends of the linkages and the lower portion of the frame for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the percussive operation of the tampers; and means for collapsing the linkages for supporting the frame entirely by the front and rear wheels.

6. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drophead mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers movable vertically with and pivotally on the head; means on the frame for controlling the movement of the tampers relatively to the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the frame and the trackrails, including toggle linkages and rollers on the lower end of the linkages and engageable with the track rails for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck isalso reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the percussive operation of the tampers; and means for operating the linkages to raise the rollers off the rails.

7. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drophead mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers mounted on the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the frame and the track-rails, for

supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the operation of the head and tampers; means for raising auxiliary supports off the rails, brakes carried by the lower ends of the auxiliary supports and engageable with the rails, and means for applying said brakes to the rails and releasing them therefrom.

8. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drophead mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers mounted on the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drophead, rearwardly ofthe front wheels, and extending between the frame and the track-rails, for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses/between the front wheels and the rails produced by the operation of the tampers; means for raising auxiliary supports off the rails, brakes carried by the lower ends of the auxiliary supports and engageable with the rails, and pneumatic means carried by said supports for operating said brakes.

9. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers mounted on the head; auxiliary supports including struts adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the frame and the track-rails, for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the operation of the head and tampers; means for raising the struts away from the rails, brakes carried by the lower ends of the struts and engageable with the rails, and pneumatic means carried by said struts for applying said brakes to the rails and releasing them therefrom.

10. A machine of the character described comprising: a truck including a supporting frame and front and rear carrying wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop-head mounted longitudinally between the front and rear wheels for percussive strokes in the frame; tampers mounted on the head; auxiliary supports adjacent the drop-head, rearwardly of the front wheels, and extending between the frame and the track-rails, including toggle linkages and rollers engageable with the rails and journalled on the lower ends of the linkages for supporting the front portion of the truck while the truck is also supported by the rear wheels and thereby reducing the stresses between the front wheels and the rails produced by the operation of the head and tampers; means for raising auxiliary supports off the rails, brakes pivotally mounted on the lower ends of the linkages and engageable with the rails, and means carried by said linkages for pivotally shifting said rollers and applying the brakes to the rails and releasing them therefrom.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a portable truck provided with a supporting frame and front and rear wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop head mounted for vertical strokes in the frame between the front and rear wheels, and provided with elements for moving ballast between the ties under the rails, of auxiliary supports including devices for engaging the track rails adjacent the path of travel of the head and structures between the frame and said devices for supporting the frame to relieve the weight on the front wheels while the rear wheels support the frame, and means for shiftsupported by the rear wheels and thereby 7 ing said structures to relieve the stresses on the front wheels and. to raise them off the rails and engage them with the rails while the rear wheels remain engaged with the rails.

12. in a machine of the character described, the combination with a portable truck provided with a supporting frame and front and rear wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop head mounted for vertical strokes in the frame between the front and rear wheels, and provided with elements for moving ballast between the ties under the rails, of auxiliary supports including devices for engaging the track rails adjacent the path of travel of the head and structures including struts between the frame and said devices for supporting the frame to relieve the weight on the front wheels while the rear wheels support the frame, and means for shifting said structures to relieve the stresses on the, front wheels and to raise them off the rails and engage them with the rails while the rear wheels remain engaged with the rails.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a portable truck provided with a supporting frame and front and rear wheels, adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop head mounted for vertical strokes in the frame between the front and rear wheels, and provided with elements for moving ballast between the ties under the rails, of auxiliary supports including devices for engaging the track rails adjacent the path of travel of the head and structures including struts between the frame and said devices and arms be tween the struts and the frame for supporting the frame to relieve the weight on the front wheels while rear wheels support the frame, and means for shifting said structure to relieve the stresses on the front wheels and to raise them off the rails, and to engage the rails while the rear wheels remain engaged with the rails.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a portable truck provided with a supporting frame and front and rear wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop head mounted for vertical strokes in the frame between the front and rear wheels, and provided with elements for moving ballast between the ties under the rails, of auxiliary supports including devices for engaging the track rails ad'- jacent the path of travel. of the head and structures between the frame and said devices for supporting the frame to relieve the weight on the front wheels while the rear wheels support. the frame, and fluid pressure operable means for shifting said structures to relieve the stresses. on the front wheels and to raise them off the rails, while the rear wheels remain engaged with the rails.

15. In, a machine of the character described, the combination. with a portable truck provided with a supporting frame and. front and rear wheels adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a drop head mounted for vertical strokes in. the frame between the front and rear wheels, and provided with elements for moving ballast between the ties under the rails, of auxiliary supports including devices for engaging the track rails adjacent the path of travel of the head and structures including toggle linkages between the frame and said devices for supporting the frame to relieve the weight on the front wheels while the rear wheels support the frame, and means for shifting said members to render them operative and to raise them off the rails.

16. In a railway ballast tamping machine, the combination with a portable truck provided with a supporting frame mounted on front and rear wheels adapted to travel on. the rails of a railway track for successive tamping of ballast beneath ties, multiple tamping bars mounted at each side of the truck and intermediate the wheels thereof for straddling a tie in the vicinity of the rail supporting portion of said tie, said tamping bars being capable in operation of vertical movement as well ashorizontal movement toward and away from the tie soas to tamp the ballast supporting the tie, of retractable auxiliary supports on said truck for engaging the track rails during the tamping operation in the immediate vicinity of the tamping bars so as to relieve the weight onthe wheels of the truck which are supported on the forward untamped portion of the track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 589,968 Herrington Sept. 14, 1897 913,716 Farrell et a1. Mar. 2, 1909 1,394,990 Foster Oct. 25, 1921 2,107,639 Madison Feb. 8, 1938 2,482,123 'Philbrick Sept. 20, 1949 2,482,564 Townsend Sept. 20, 1949 

